The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-05
HUNTING THE ANISES.
a Sport Which Is Laughed at But
Requires Nerve.
A Hard Rider Tells About the Chase on
Long IsIand-Why the Anise-Seed
bag Is Better Than a Fox.

do not know what the sport is like have
made a great deal of fun of what thel
call chasing the anise-seed bag" sale
the master of the MeadOwbrook hound.
after a sharp ride over Hampstead
plains. lie was a sturdy, athletic
young man. clad in scarlet jacket, white
breeches, riding-bOotS and huntin q.
cap. For two hours previous bis
thoroughbred horse had been carrying
him over rail-fenceS and across fields
at breakneck pace, never hesitating
AT a jump, and keeping close to a pack
of scurrying hounds, followed by TWEEN
fy or thirty other horses and riders.
sit is Il popular impression" he con-
finued, THAT this is an artificial STYLE
OF hunting; but after all it is no more
artificial than following foxes that are
bred and preserved for the sole purpose
'Of hunting them, as in England. More
over, there are many advantages and
things to be commended in the Ameri-
can fOx-hunt. Most of the men who en-
gage in the sport are business men who
do not want to spend whole day try
ing 20 find fox and then perhaps have
Il poor run. They want to 90 out for
the afternoon and be sure of good ride.
1t is not more than twice in season
that hunt club in England will have
as good a run as we can every day.
Over there, even, they frequently trap
foxes and put them into the cover the
night before the run, and | can't see
wherein that is any improvement over
our method. They tell story of whip
who left kennel and gave q reason
that he couldn't stand the night work.
1t seemed that he was out planting
foxes every night. 1t is al very well for
men who have nothing else on earth TO
do to spend whole days in the field for
the sake of one or two runs in season,
but Americans will not do that. Be
sides, it is difficult to find wild foxes in
the farming districts of this country,
because the farmers eXterminate them
rs pests. The American farmer is not
educated up to the point of preserving
foxes that Will raid his poultry yard for
the fun of seeing hounds and men on
horseback chase them through his fields.
-'When we want hunt, man goes
rout an hour or two ahead of the hounds
and walks over the line selected, drag
ging behind him a bag or a rag soaked
with anise, which leaves a scent that
the hounds will follow. He can choose
suitable country, avoid impracticable
places and barbed-wire fences, and
make the run just the right distance.
The chances with wild fox would be
that he would take across a Int of conn
try where no horse could follow or be
caught in few minutes from the start
and spoil the days sport. Another adj
vantage is that the man with the drag
San keep off the land of farmers who
object TO have their rails ridden over.
Some farmers do object, and we always
respect their wishes of course. Really
xve do bat little damage, and we pay
zen times over for that little. We keep
out of the meadows and grain fields,
and on ordinary land the horses can
hurt nothing. a fence rail may be
broken or knocked down once in while,
bat that is repaired or paid for the next
day, when a man goes over the line for
xhat purpose and makes everything
right. We try to keep on good terms
with the farmers, and by paying for the
damage, treating them civillv. and max
.ngfriends with them. we have succeeded
iu this vicinity. But we have not got
xhen up to the point of breeding foxes
on their farms.
1.-The length of a run and the charac-
ter of the country over which the scent
as laid depend upon the class of riders
eNpec ted in the field. Down here we
have three runs a week during the
spring and fall seasons, and we try to
suit ali the members of the club. One
day have short run, say eight miles
or SO, for those who are not hard riders.
selecting a country that is not too dan
gpOus for the elderly men. and keeping
away from the worst fences. Another
day have long run. perhaps twice as
far, for the younger men who want to
ride hard and fast and take the stiffest
fences they can find. Sometimes the
ladies ride after the hounds, and some
of them ride very well, too, but we do
not encourage them, because it is dan
gerous under the most favorable cir
cumstanceS.
Usually the meet is at the kennels
or near them. although when large
number of riders are expected we some
fines meet in the village. The master
of the hounds has charge of the hunt
and makes the arrangements for the
meet and the run. He has servant, a
good rider well mounted, called the
whip, who assists him in keeping the
pack together, riding behind the master
and whipping in the dogs that are
disposed to straggle and wander away.
when the master mounts and rides into
Efhc yard. the dogs are brought out, and
: the whole pack gathers about his horses
feet, yelping in eagerness, and watch
Tag his face for the command to follow.
The dogs know what is coming, and are
impatient to be put on the scent. They
Keep close to the master until they get
10 the throw-off or the place where the